Personal Feelings
“Master, may I have a moment of your time?”
I was sorting through the books on my shelf when Siana approached, holding a single sheet of paper in her hand.
Maybe something to do with the paperwork for the Count Rodwell family.
“Sure—what is it?”
I set the book in my hand down on the desk, took a seat, and faced Siana directly.
“I wished to present this document to you, Master, and humbly ask for a moment of your attention.”
With those words, Siana extended the paper to me.
It looked like there was quite a bit written on it, but I decided to just start reading from the top.
[Matters Master Should Be Mindful Of Upon Entering the Noble Academy]
“…Siana, what’s this?”
“Yes. With your future in mind, Master, I’ve taken the liberty of compiling a list of things I believe would be wise for you to keep in consideration.”
“You didn’t have to go that far… but thank you, Siana.”
When I said that, Siana’s cheeks flushed with quiet happiness, and she gave a small, shy nod.
Her reaction was so earnest, it made me smile. I turned my attention back to the list she had prepared.
[First: Do not associate with barbaric individuals.]
Barbaric… I’m not sure anyone like that would actually be attending the noble academy, but maybe this includes that overbearing guy I mentioned the other day.
It’s not ideal to judge people so quickly, but deciding who I should and shouldn’t engage with might really be necessary—for the Rodwell family’s sake as well. Siana’s gentle concern came through in reminding me of that.
[Second: Do not interact with women during the first month after enrollment.]
“…Huh?”
The second point caught me off guard. I couldn’t quite process it and let the question slip out loud.
“Is something the matter, Master?”
Since Siana, the one who had written the list, was right beside me, I figured I might as well ask her directly.
“Siana, about the second one—what exactly do you mean by not interacting with women for the first month?”
“I believe that, during that initial period, most women who approach you will do so not because of who you are, but because of your status as a count, your handsome appearance, or your promising future—superficial attractions, in other words.”
“That might be true… but isn’t that still okay at first? If we take our time getting to know each other, we can learn about each other’s inner selves too.”
“…Then please disregard the second point.”
Siana replied in a tone that made it clear she wasn’t fully convinced.
I wanted to respect the thought she put into this list for me, but that one was honestly a bit much… Still, since she had gone through the effort, I intended to honor the rest of it as best I could.
With that in mind, I moved my eyes to the next point.
[Third: If anyone behaves rudely or arrogantly toward Master, regardless of whether they are a noble or a teacher, report them to Siana.]
“…Siana, what’s the reason behind this one?”
“…Simply put, I believe I should also know how best to deal with such individuals.”
“I see… understood.”
Siana was a servant of the Count Rodwell family—more specifically, my attendant.
Anyone who treated me with disrespect would likely treat her the same way. Of course she’d want to avoid people like that.
“…Hehe.”
I thought I heard a soft laugh from Siana, but I decided it was probably just my imagination and turned to the next item.
[Fourth: Do not associate with women who wear revealing clothing.]
“…This one might be difficult. At parties, for instance, women often have to wear more revealing outfits than usual.”
“Please regard this as referring only to daily life… A woman who constantly exposes herself would not be a good match for you, Master.”
“…Okay.”
I didn’t fully grasp her reasoning, but I figured it came from her concern for me.
And then, the final item.
[Fifth: Do not associate with women with large breasts.]
“S-Siana? The previous ones all had at least some logic to them, but this fifth one… I can’t wrap my head around it. Why is this something I need to avoid?”
“Because it would be detrimental to your education, Master.”
“My education…? I’m not sure I follow. But if that’s true, then wouldn’t that mean I shouldn’t interact with you either, Siana?”
“…Huh?”
Siana looked visibly startled, but I was honestly curious, so I pressed on.
“I mean, at least to me, it’s obvious—even through your maid outfit, it’s clear your chest is pretty large… So if that’s bad for my education, then once I enroll in the academy, I shouldn’t be around you either, right——”
“Master! Please forget about the fifth point! Erase it from your mind immediately!!”
When I said that, for some reason, Siana responded with a bright, delighted smile.
“R-Really?”
“Yes!”
A bit confused by her reaction, I decided to forget about the fifth item—since she seemed fine with that.
So then, the things I needed to be careful about were——
[First: Do not associate with barbaric individuals.]
[Third: If anyone behaves rudely or arrogantly toward Master, regardless of whether they are a noble or a teacher, report them to Siana.]
[Fourth: Do not associate with women who wear revealing clothing.]
—those three.
“Master said… my chest is big… Hehe.”
Siana acted a little odd for a while after that, but in any case, I resolved to take her list seriously and keep these points in mind as best I could.